https://www.gofundme.com/f/transforming-lives-through-tennis
It’s Saturday morning, a bit chillier than the usual days of the heat and smog in the city of Kampala, where Julius (project coordinator), Betty (friend) and myself drive about one hour southwest outside of city to the village of MPIGI District. There, the biggest project is on hand for Tennis For All Uganda (TFAU) where land for a proper tennis court and a community centre has been bought and created.
In 2018, initial donor and board member, Geoff Moore, hosted a fundraiser in Montreal to start the project in MPIGI. Now hosting about 25 very young children in the centre with an all-purpose court and two classrooms, the children from the village have an opportunity to come together on the weekends to learn in play.
Seeing as we are in COVID times, every dollar is stretched to have the children able to come to the classroom during the weekend to learn and play. This centre is intended for 50 children when time progresses and the project finishes.
The project is broken down in three phases:
1) Building the community centre and clearing the space for the tennis court ($3k)
2) Fencing around the court ($4.5K)
3) Filling the tennis court ($15K)
As phase one started in 2018, as much as $3,000 was fundraised to own and build the centre on the land. With that much money, a whole building including two classroom, a well surfaced all-purpose court, and space for the tennis court is all included! We’re looking at about 160ft by 50ft plus all materials to help a community — and give opportunities for something different in their lives from the slums.
As more generous donations were collected for construction, furniture and teaching materials, the community centre is slowly growing with the help of others.
Phase 2 consists of now building the fencing around the court. The biggest obstacle the organization faces is raising enough funding for the project. TFAU is looking for approximately $4.5K to fill the next phase which they hope to receive by 2022.
When we look at the community here, there is a horizon of beautiful hills, access to a clear water source a couple hundred meters away and lively farms of coffee and corn. Before the community centre was built, the children around had no access to schooling, learning, or playing in a positive environment.
Back in the city, the 50 players from Naguru and Kamwokye slum in Kampala have one clay area to play in (mind you it is covered in rocks and bumps) outside their homes. Building the tennis court in MPIGI, would finally give the top players in the slums the best chance to get out and train on concrete, yet a proper tennis court — which some of these players are amazingly already competing and representing East Africa in competitions.
To support this project and help the hundreds of kids in the MPIGI and city slum kids, please follow the link above to donate for the next phase of building and giving them something to celebrate for the holidays.
To speak to Julius of how you’d love to help, please message him at info@tennisforalluganda.com
